Although the Zune 2 is not available in NZ, I've managed to score one of these devices. According to UPS it's already landed in NZ and hopefully being sent to me shortly. I previous had an opportunity to get the original Zune but it really didn't tickle my fancy. The Zune 2 looks good, finally comes in black, is small and has a whole host of features that make it worthwhile. It's interesting to note that's it's receiving a lot of positive press for being a real iPOD contender. I'll post more once I've played with it. Otherwise, here are some interesting links on the Zune 2 I've been reading in my lunch hour:

Five things Microsoft did right with the Zune 2 (The comments from Apple Fans and Anti Apple Fans make interesting and funny reading!)

Walter Mossberg's Review of the Zune 2

Wired Zune 2 Review

Gizmodo news on Zune 2

Some design speculation on the "Zune 3"

Zune 2 FAQ

Zune 2 versus iPOD comparison charts

Paul Thurott Zune 2 Review (A lot of good history on the Zune here).

Very interesting article in Computerworld regarding some of the frustrations that IT managers will face with allowing access to corporate resources from the iPhone. Just listening to the Apple strategy of the device shows it is very consumer orientated and certainly not a player in the enterprise. It's interesting to see how this strategy will work for Apple in its quest for mobile dominance. This strategy is distinctly different from the likes of RIM and Microsoft, who have been solving the corporate problem before attacking the mass consumer market. My prediction is that the iPhone will get a lot of attention for its looks and cool factor (typical response to anything Apple by the majority of consumers and Apple knows it) but will get a massive thumbs down when it comes to corporate integration. By the time Apple works this out, RIM and Microsoft will have copied all the cool features and be out with devices that are as cool but have much better corporate integration feastures. All-in-all, an interesting IT space to watching.

Thanks to Ric Anderson @ MS for these resources:

Windows Mobile Reference Index

Microsoft Enterprise Platform Group and Partner Support Line

Australia: 02 4221 9780 OR freecall 1800 027 128; New Zealand: Freecall 0800 450888

• For certified partners and Enterprise IT
• SBS set up issues
• End User help
• Connectivity issues
• Not linked into PSS support calls
• Wireless Data Services answering the calls
• Reporting and issue consolidation back to MS

Windows Mobile Homepage

http://www.microsoft.com/australia/windowsmobile
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/default.mspx

• Local device availability (Australian site)
• White Papers
• Case Studies
• Developer Links

Case Studies

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/success/default.mspx

Partner Resources

Windows Mobile Competency Partner certification
https://partner.microsoft.com/msppmobility
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/partners/logon/login.mspx

Partner collateral, logo's and reference information
http://www.windowsmobilepartnershop.com

Application certification (Mobile2Market)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/partners/mobile2market/smartphoneapps/default.aspx

Developer sites

Local Microsoft Developer resource page
http://www.microsoft.com/australia/msdn/tools/msdnflash.aspx

Windows Mobile elearning Training Application Development
https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/offerDetail.aspx?offerPriceId=112167

Windows Mobile elearning Training IT Pro
https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/offerDetail.aspx?offerPriceId=112394

Deploying and maintaining mobile applications
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8a5a43ea-dd75-425b-b05c-1aa3a0e55420&DisplayLang=en

.NET Compact Framework and the Mobile Client Software Factory

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=27fc4663-8661-4760-9993-cde5d27d5fc9&DisplayLang=en

MS Developers Conference 2006 DVD
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=27fc4663-8661-4760-9993-cde5d27d5fc9&DisplayLang=en

BLOGS

• Technology information and tips
• jkruse, dglover and jeffa36 includes local MS information
• Local UMPC info on UberTablet

http://blogs.msdn.com/jasonlan/
http://blogs.technet.com/vik/
http://littlesandpit.blogspot.com/2006/10/direct-push-guide.html
http://jankity.spaces.live.com/
http://blogs.technet.com/jeffa36/
http://blogs.msdn.com/dglover
http://blogs.msdn.com/mikehall/
http://blogs.technet.com/jkruse/default.aspx
http://UberTablet.blogspot.com
http://msgoodies.blogspot.com/2006/12/tip-installing-communicator-mobile.html
http://www.mogadget.com/

VISTA with Windows Mobile Device Centre

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx

• Think ActiveSync for Vista
• NOTE if folks are having trouble syncing after upgrading to Vista check that the Proxy settings are disable on the device in
  start/settings/connections(tab)/connections/proxy

3rd party retail applications

Handango UK – Voice Command 1.6
http://tinyurl.com/3ye4dv

iMate supported software and services
http://www.clubimate.com/

Trend Micro trial software (mobile virus protection)
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/mobile/tmms/evaluate/overview.htm

Interesting to see that Sun has released JavaFX, a framework for quickly building compelling user interfaces quickly for Java Enabled devices and machines. I can definitely see it going head to head against Silverlight.

RIM has finally shown off a plug-in for Visual Studio that allows blackberry device development in the Visual Studio environment. Very nice considering the RIM IDE is complete poos. I definitely commend RIM for targeting VS into the future.

Over the last few weeks Vodafone have released the "Vodafone 1210" - A Vodafone branded Windows Mobile Smartphone originally manufactured by ASUS. The beauty of this thing is the price - $599 retail for a full MS phone in NZ. The only real lacking feature is no camera. But it is fully 3G. It is also only Win Mobile 5 but not 6. No mater I think this great value for money and going on my shopping list! There is quite a bit of info on this in NZ already mainly on geekzone. So here are a few links to find out further:

Vodafone NZ Product Page | Geek Zone Review | Geek Zone rant on locking (and unlocking) the phone | Forum Discussion on the 1210

In what appears to be a very obvious response to the Microsoft/Nortel alliance, Cisco and IBM have joined forces.

Apparently Microsoft has delivered a mysterious white space Internet devices to the FCC in America for testing. This device could be hugely significant as it aims to use the "white space" or gaps in unregulated radio bands to provide ubiquitous Internet access. Something like this will leave the teleco's quaking in their boots as it would completely bypass their stranglehold on connecting to the Internet. The implication is free wide spread access to the Internet. Bring it on I say. More coverage at MarketWatch.com.

It's good to see another asian manufacturer developing Windows Mobile phones, especially Windows Mobile 6 ones. Asus are traditional mobo manufactor but are now branching into phones with Windows Mobile 6. Definitely one to watch in this area!

"Yamazaki" or as it's better known: Windows CE 6.0 has been released to market. Windows CE 6.0 will be the base platform for the next version of Windows Mobile. Press information is here, and from Mike Hall's Blog the following is some basic info on new features:

1. Operating System architecture.
   • CE 6.0 now supports upto 32k processes with 2GB virtual memory per process (CE 5.0 supported a maximum of 32 processes with 32MB Virtual Memory per process)
   • Operating system processes moved to kernel space (GWES, Device driver manager, file system manager are all in kernel space - improves performance)
   • New Kernel mode and user mode driver model (CE 5.0 only supported user mode drivers) - kernel mode drivers for performance, user mode drivers for stability - plus you can now have multiple instances of the user mode driver manager (hey, you have upto 32k processes!)
   • Strict partitioning of user mode and kernel mode (no SetKMode!)
2. Tools - The CE 6.0 development tools are integrated with Visual Studio 2005 - this gives you one tool to configure, build, download, debug, and test the operating system and the same tool to write your native (Win32, MFC, ATL, WTL, STL) or managed (C#/VB) applications.

3. Technologies - more information on supported operating system technologies will be made available at launch.

I can across this list on pocketpcadddict.com that contains instructions on hared reseting a huge of amount of current windows/pcoket PC based devices. Very useful... I was looking for details on how to reset my (borrowed) KJAM.

I've managed to get my mits on an iMate SP6 pre-release model. It feels nice and solid and has some improvements. Some initial things: It's got a 2 Megapixel camera and is 3G capable. Two cameras with one dedicated for video calling, so yes the first imate smartphone with video calling! No Wifi (I suspect it's pushing sh*t uphill to get Wifi and 3G radio stacks into a unit so small). Check the pictures out (thanks to supermondo camera phone photographer Adam Green) for some pics of yours truly with it. This is the first full featured Microsoft smartphone in my opinion. Not only is it an amazingly compelling application platform but with a high spec'd camera and a decent data connection some very interesting applications are possible!